Student Affairs Highlighted During Introductory Forum

Student Affairs staff shared details about their department’s function with Southwest staff during the Sept. 16 forum. Pictured are (L-R): Rosie Britton, Tracie Johnson, Lee Jones, Jarrett Stephens, Chateeka Farris, Phoenix Worthy, Brenda Williams, Jhona Gipson, Ouida Pope-Warren and LaShonda Lewis.

Student Affairs took center stage during a department forum designed to inform Southwest employees about what activities and resources are available across the College and provide an opportunity for open discussion.

Lee Jones, interim vice president of student affairs, outlined how Student Affairs plays an integral party of every aspect of a student’s college experience – from junior high to college graduation. 

Ouida Pope-Warren is someone responsible for that early involvement. As director of the Upward Bound program, she and her staff engage students frequently through recruitment fairs, campus tours, ACT payment coverage, and summer programs that give students opportunities to explore career and college options. 

“Nearly 65 percent of students in the program choose Southwest when it comes to attending college,” she said. 

That is where advising comes in, said Alma Rutledge, dean of students. She said engagement is done on three levels – enrollment, articulation, and graduation – with a continued pathway through their college experience.

“We want to make sure students stay on track,” she said.

To keep students focused on their goals, Brenda Williams’ Career Services staff helps them by providing career options. Williams is the interim director for Career Services and Academic Advising. Through career fairs and the college-to-workforce process, students are presented with interviewing skills, a resume, and potential employment opportunities.

“In October, we’re partnering with Hilton for a career fair,” Williams said. “Students can get information about internships and jobs available in all their departments. Especially accounting and hospitality.”

Phoenix Worthy, director for student leadership and engagement, added that employers look for leadership skills, in addition to job skills. The Southwest Leadership Institute (SLI) has been doing that for 14 years, he said.  SLI enhances leadership skills by addressing the challenges of leadership in a dynamic college environment for both new and current leaders.

Chateeka Farris, director of the Center for Access, engaged attendees with a pop quiz to test their knowledge of the division and hinted at a forthcoming food pantry on the Union Avenue campus. Details are still in the planning phase. 

Continuing to focus on services that assist students beyond the classroom, LaShonda Lewis, interim director for Child Care Centers, told attendees that childcare services are available on-site at the Union Avenue and Macon Cove campuses. It is a service for both students, employees and the community. .

“For students who receive the Pell Grant, they get a $223 weekly stipend, and child care only costs them $24 a week,” she said.

Athletics Director Jarrett Stephens introduced attendees to the College’s various athletics offerings and encouraged participation in the upcoming Homecoming activities and game day event on  Oct. 2 with both the Saluqi men’s and women’s basketball teams playing LeMoyne Owen College, JV at the Verties Sails Gym on the Union Avenue Campus.

Registrar Tracie Johnson and Rosie Britton, director for admissions, recruitment and K12 partnerships, briefly shared their involvement with students. Johnson addressed concerns about transcript request lagging due to the cyber incident. Britton shared details about upcoming college fairs and the tnAchieves and tnPromise programs.

“I’m extremely proud of this team and what they do,” Jones said.